Subject: Grounding, Bonding and Sprinkler Piping
>From an industry forum list (AFAA Firealarm). Apparently NFPA-25 inspectors (contractors) are either removing the bonding connection and or noting it as a violation................................ John -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drucker <[email protected]> Subject: RE: [firealarm] Ground Rod Questions All interior water piping within a building, including metallic fire sprinkler piping is required to be bonded pursuant to 2008 NEC 250.104(A)(B) . Failure to bond a metallic piping system could result in the piping system becoming energized with the potential of shock or electrocution. Bonding merely places all metallic components within a building at equipotential.These components, water piping, gas piping, building steel, etc are bonded (electrically connected together) to the electrical system. A properly bonded system assures a low impedance electrical path exists should a fault occur producing the needed fault current in order to operate a circuits overcurrent device thus clearing the fault by deenergizing the circuit. Grounding on the other hand is the connection of the buildings electrical system to earth in order to dissipate lighting, transients and stabilize system voltage. Grounding is not Bonding. The sprinkler piping prohibition applies to the use of fire sprinkler piping as a Grounding electrode. Its important that we not remove bonding jumpers from aboveground fire sprinkler piping. If you're not sure consult with your electrical inspector. In the end it might just save someone's life ! Sincerely, John Drucker Fire Protection Subcode Official Electrical Inspector Licensed Electrical Contractor Safe Buildings Save Lives ! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - The original posting from the forum............................(The senders name has been removed, the content is whats important) "NFPA 13, the Standard for the Installation of (Fire) Sprinkler Systems and NFPA 24, the Standard for Installation of Private Fire Service Mains both prohibit the grounding or bonding of electrical grounds. Chapter 9, Pages 83-84 of NFPA's 8th Edition of Fire and Life Safety Inspection Manual covers proper grounding quite well." "While the "inspection" of ground connections is outside the scope (see NFPA 25-1.1, 2002) of a typical recurring fire sprinkler inspection I do note the attachment of grounds to fire lines, fire sprinkler risers or piping on my reports as a possible design/install error. I know some fire department/district inspectors get real upset with these. Keep in mind, some fire underground piping is plastic and many fire lines contain rubber gaskets or seals and may not be appropriate for grounding but I'm not an electrician or an electrical engineer so I can't offer any real guidance on the issue." "I would suggest contacting the local electrical inspector or a qualified electrician." _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
